Injury Concerns Are (Sigh) Already Mounting for the Twins

[Bodie]

4 hours ago, wsnydes said:

We really can't have nice things, can we?

At least the ants are reportedly under control...

[Beast]

I’m shocked that a bunch of players that are always injured are injured.  

[Bodie]

35 minutes ago, rv78 said:

My thoughts exactly. How about a Dobnak or Pagan instead?

in re Pagan: The idea is for them to get cuts against MLB-caliber pitching...

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, rv78 said:

My thoughts exactly. How about a Dobnak or Pagan instead?

Who should Durán pitch to……the Invisible Man?

[JD-TWINS]

Guys get hurt playing sports - everyday somebody gets nicked. A batted ball off a pitchers leg is typically not a big deal.

Farmer - Solano - Gordon have 2B covered w/o Polanco, if necessary.

Kiriloff seems to be hitting live pitching which I think is the big potential deterrent from him being ready Opening Day. Unless something changes, it appears he’ll be ready.

Let’s see how Kepler feels in a day or two…..Larnach is up before Walner but it’s probably neither of them. If Polanco can’t go they’ll roster Larnach for Opening Day.

It’s not a wasted season quite yet!

 

[h2oface]

1 hour ago, Bodie said:

in re Pagan: The idea is for them to get cuts against MLB-caliber pitching...

But Pagan has all that......"stuff", Just ask the FO. He is sooooo "stuffed". 😇

[Schmoeman5]

Polanco will not be ready. Kiriloff. Still feeling pain. Theres more to that. Buxton will be primary dh all season. And there's a reason for that too.

[mikelink45]

Another article tried to drink the Twins Kool-Aid, this article just ruined the taste and is the reason why no one should go crazy with their spring training optimism.  Wait and see!  

[Mike Sixel]

30 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Polanco will not be ready. Kiriloff. Still feeling pain. Theres more to that. Buxton will be primary dh all season. And there's a reason for that too.

What's your suggestion for handling polanco and Buxton before the season started? They are great players. They brought in backups. That's, what?

[Schmoeman5]

9 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

What's your suggestion for handling polanco and Buxton before the season started? They are great players. They brought in backups. That's, what?

If great players can't play, then how can they be great? And if they are great why do you need backups? Oh yeah, because they're not available. My suggestion is get them healthy before they play. It's like a car with a flat. Are you going to run it down the road till it falls off? And ruin the wheel too.

[terrydactyls]

Put Julien at 2B now.  If he can play decent defense, then the Polanco problem becomes minor.  If Julien can't perform defensively at 2B, it's good to know.

[Squirrel]

9 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Another article tried to drink the Twins Kool-Aid, this article just ruined the taste and is the reason why no one should go crazy with their spring training optimism.  Wait and see!  

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. It’s the only approach i live by when it comes to baseball. And I disagree about optimism this time of year. This is the time of year I think we should hope and be optimistic because it’s the only time of year anything is possible before any games are played after which possibilities either wane or remain. (I said possibilities, not probabilities.) We have 162 games of the regular season to let the air out of tires, and I’d still rather start with them full, and not slashed because full tires gets you somewhere and slashed tires get you nowhere. Some of the doom and gloom pessimistic posters want to just slash tires, (not pointing any fingers at you here), it just gets old and makes it impossible to actually have a decent baseball discussion. So, Polanco isn’t looking good and will start the year on the DL, most likely. It’s the way it goes in sports. Good thing we have Farmer, Solano and Gordon to fill in, with Julien getting more time in AAA and getting ready for a call up when we need him, with hopefully Lee and Lewis later in the season. We were all ‘woe is me’ about Buxton and Kirilloff and it looks good that Buxton is/will be ready and maybe even Kirilloff as latest reports are better than they were a week ago. I will continue to be hopeful for now because it’s not the season yet and my Kool-Aid still tastes good. Let’s maybe put off some of the doom until Mar. 30 to see what we actually have. Yes, be concerned, I am, but I’ll remain with hoping for the best.

[Riverbrian]

13 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

What's wrong with being honest with the fans and give factual injury updates? 

Yeah... Why Not.

Fans are rational, Social Media can be trusted.   

[Riverbrian]

I read a lot of comments over the off-season from the TD crowd.

For those who look for a starting 9 and refer to the rest as "bench". 

For those counting starters who can't figure out what to do with Ober after they reach the number 5. 

For those who can't figure out why Solano was necessary. 

For those who are trying to carefully plan starting lineups vs right handers and a starting lineup vs a lefty like it's a static assignment that lasts the entire season. 

For those who need a reminder of the incredible volume of injuries last season.

Let this article remind. 

This article is referencing opening day. '

An obvious reminder is that we have no idea what the injuries will look like in May. Or June, July, August or September but it's safe to assume that there will be some injuries. 

26 players who can play is not just necessary. It is required.  26 players who can play... and you play them. 

 

[weitz41]

It's March 20th right? Not July 20th? So these games don't count? If it was July 20th would any of these guys be on the IL? Maybe Polanco..It's not like these are Edwin Diaz or Altuve's injuries. RELAX it's March 20th.

[NotAboutWinning]

7 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

Put Julien at 2B now.  If he can play decent defense, then the Polanco problem becomes minor.  If Julien can't perform defensively at 2B, it's good to know.

He looked pretty competent in the WBC!

[chpettit19]

11 hours ago, h2oface said:

Does Duran really need to be the one pitching to Kirilloff for batting practice on a back field?

11 hours ago, rv78 said:

My thoughts exactly. How about a Dobnak or Pagan instead?

Because Duran needs to get his work in, too. The live BP stuff is done between all the guys, and is for both the hitter and the pitcher. It wasn't just for Kirilloff's benefit, it was Duran needing to get in his set number of pitches against a hitter and working on things. These are things that have been done in spring training for decades. 1 ball off a leg doesn't make it some crazy thing. This is just how spring training works. For every team.

[mickster]

16 hours ago, specialiststeve said:

You may get tired of hearing this but... Polanco NEEDS to be our DH. Fulltime. Only play field in a pinch. 

Polanco needs to play and then the plan should be to trade him to open up 2B

[TwinsDr2021]

The Twins are worried about injuries and protecting players and the Braves are planning for the season letting a starting pitcher start the 7th inning in spring training. I am wondering which Twins starter will be the first pitcher to start the 7th inning and how many games that will take.

[chpettit19]

8 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

The Twins are worried about injuries and protecting players and the Braves are planning for the season letting a starting pitcher start the 7th inning in spring training. I am wondering which Twins starter will be the first pitcher to start the 7th inning and how many games that will take.

Fried started the 7th because he needed to get more pitches. He only threw 68 yesterday. Maeda threw 75. So which team let their guy do more yesterday? 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

3 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I read a lot of comments over the off-season from the TD crowd.

For those who look for a starting 9 and refer to the rest as "bench". 

For those counting starters who can't figure out what to do with Ober after they reach the number 5. 

For those who can't figure out why Solano was necessary. 

For those who are trying to carefully plan starting lineups vs right handers and a starting lineup vs a lefty like it's a static assignment that lasts the entire season. 

For those who need a reminder of the incredible volume of injuries last season.

Let this article remind. 

This article is referencing opening day. '

An obvious reminder is that we have no idea what the injuries will look like in May. Or June, July, August or September but it's safe to assume that there will be some injuries. 

26 players who can play is not just necessary. It is required.  26 players who can play... and you play them. 

 

Stop bringing logic to an emotional discussion.

[jmlease1]

12 hours ago, Beast said:

I’m shocked that a bunch of players that are always injured are injured.  

well, Polanco was injured last season. The previous 3 years he played a full season. So I wouldn't put Polanco in the "perpetually injured" group yet.

Most of this seems pretty normal to me. While I would love for every player to be 100% healthy, playing in spring training games to ease the Twins fan's psyche, it rarely goes that way: guys pick up nicks and strains and bruises in camp, and guys who are coming off surgery have setbacks. So far, it doesn't look like anything major (nobody is slated for another surgery, unlike with some teams).

There seems to be a perception from some fans that the Twins are hiding something by not providing detailed schedules or something for each player and daily updates on whether each player is meeting some set of benchmarks to be ready for Opening Day, but the reality is there's zero benefit for the team and players by doing that. Whatever added support they might get by giving information-hungry fans something they crave right now would be wiped out the minute one player misses something or takes a day off from swinging and the finger-pointing begins and the same cadre of fans demanding total information starts screaming at them for lying. This stuff isn't linear, and setback will happen...and some of them are also going to be nothing more than a 1-day hiccup.

Just remember what Vin Scully said: "He's listed as day-to-day, but aren't we all day-to-day?"

I'm not panicking. Losing Polanco for extended time would stink; when healthy he's an all-star caliber player, our 3rd best position player. but if he misses a week or so in April it won't break us. Is Kirilloff going to break camp and go north? Maybe not, might need a little more time...but he also doesn't appear to having any kind of real setbacks, which is good news coming off a significant surgery.

Nick Gordon rolled an ankle and people freaked out that he was going to miss a month and here we go again, blah blah blah injurycakes. he's already back. Everybody try to breathe.

[Craig Arko]

9 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

well, Polanco was injured last season. The previous 3 years he played a full season. So I wouldn't put Polanco in the "perpetually injured" group yet.

Most of this seems pretty normal to me. While I would love for every player to be 100% healthy, playing in spring training games to ease the Twins fan's psyche, it rarely goes that way: guys pick up nicks and strains and bruises in camp, and guys who are coming off surgery have setbacks. So far, it doesn't look like anything major (nobody is slated for another surgery, unlike with some teams).

There seems to be a perception from some fans that the Twins are hiding something by not providing detailed schedules or something for each player and daily updates on whether each player is meeting some set of benchmarks to be ready for Opening Day, but the reality is there's zero benefit for the team and players by doing that. Whatever added support they might get by giving information-hungry fans something they crave right now would be wiped out the minute one player misses something or takes a day off from swinging and the finger-pointing begins and the same cadre of fans demanding total information starts screaming at them for lying. This stuff isn't linear, and setback will happen...and some of them are also going to be nothing more than a 1-day hiccup.

Just remember what Vin Scully said: "He's listed as day-to-day, but aren't we all day-to-day?"

I'm not panicking. Losing Polanco for extended time would stink; when healthy he's an all-star caliber player, our 3rd best position player. but if he misses a week or so in April it won't break us. Is Kirilloff going to break camp and go north? Maybe not, might need a little more time...but he also doesn't appear to having any kind of real setbacks, which is good news coming off a significant surgery.

Nick Gordon rolled an ankle and people freaked out that he was going to miss a month and here we go again, blah blah blah injurycakes. he's already back. Everybody try to breathe.

I am definitely day-to-day.

[Nick Nelson]

18 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Yikes! Remind me not to turn to you to brighten my Sundays. Seriously, I appreciate all the information. Buxton and Kirilloff (sounds like he is hitting the ball hard!) seem to be on schedule or very close to it. Duran's had better be a bruise. Kepler - if goes to the IL, because they just sent Wallner down, do the Twins have to use up one of Wallner's options to bring him back up before the season?

They already used Wallner's option for this year when they sent him down so that's not an issue anymore. He can go back and forth all season.

[TwinsDr2021]

33 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Fried started the 7th because he needed to get more pitches. He only threw 68 yesterday. Maeda threw 75. So which team let their guy do more yesterday? 

Are you trying to say the only reason the Twins starters haven't pitched more innings is because they haven't been good? My post wasn't meant to be bit$3!ing about letting the starters go further, (Nor was that the point of my question) it was more inline with the topic the Twins are struggling with injuries just hoping to get to the season and the Braves are prepping for the season.

 

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, TwinsDr2021 said:

Are you trying to say the only reason the Twins starters haven't pitched more innings is because they haven't been good? My post wasn't meant to be bit$3!ing about letting the starters go further, (Nor was that the point of my question) it was more inline with the topic the Twins are struggling with injuries just hoping to get to the season and the Braves are prepping for the season.

 

Are you suggesting the Twins aren't trying to get ready for the year? People really over analyze every detail. It's mine boggling really. And they seem to assume the twins are always doing stuff wrong. 

[chpettit19]

8 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Are you trying to say the only reason the Twins starters haven't pitched more innings is because they haven't been good? My post wasn't meant to be bit$3!ing about letting the starters go further, (Nor was that the point of my question) it was more inline with the topic the Twins are struggling with injuries just hoping to get to the season and the Braves are prepping for the season.

 

Yeah, I'm confused by the idea. You pointed out that Fried started the 7th yesterday because the Braves are "getting ready for the season" while pointing out the Twins are "worried about protecting players." I pointed out that the Twins let Maeda throw more pitches than Fried did yesterday. The Twins are also "getting ready for the season." Yes, they have some players who are being managed a little different (Buxton, Polanco, Kirilloff), but overall they're doing the same thing as the other teams with all the rest of their guys. So, sure, the only reason they haven't thrown more innings is because they've been bad. I don't know what you're looking for here.

As for letting someone go into the 7th in the regular season. Ryan threw a full 7 innings last April coming off a shortened spring so I'm not too concerned about them being willing to do that if a pitcher is pitching well that day and has a reasonable pitch count.

[Schmoeman5]

43 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

well, Polanco was injured last season. The previous 3 years he played a full season. So I wouldn't put Polanco in the "perpetually injured" group yet.

Most of this seems pretty normal to me. While I would love for every player to be 100% healthy, playing in spring training games to ease the Twins fan's psyche, it rarely goes that way: guys pick up nicks and strains and bruises in camp, and guys who are coming off surgery have setbacks. So far, it doesn't look like anything major (nobody is slated for another surgery, unlike with some teams).

There seems to be a perception from some fans that the Twins are hiding something by not providing detailed schedules or something for each player and daily updates on whether each player is meeting some set of benchmarks to be ready for Opening Day, but the reality is there's zero benefit for the team and players by doing that. Whatever added support they might get by giving information-hungry fans something they crave right now would be wiped out the minute one player misses something or takes a day off from swinging and the finger-pointing begins and the same cadre of fans demanding total information starts screaming at them for lying. This stuff isn't linear, and setback will happen...and some of them are also going to be nothing more than a 1-day hiccup.

Just remember what Vin Scully said: "He's listed as day-to-day, but aren't we all day-to-day?"

I'm not panicking. Losing Polanco for extended time would stink; when healthy he's an all-star caliber player, our 3rd best position player. but if he misses a week or so in April it won't break us. Is Kirilloff going to break camp and go north? Maybe not, might need a little more time...but he also doesn't appear to having any kind of real setbacks, which is good news coming off a significant surgery.

Nick Gordon rolled an ankle and people freaked out that he was going to miss a month and here we go again, blah blah blah injurycakes. he's already back. Everybody try to breathe.

You're right in saying the Twins don't need to explain everything to its fans. But the reason in my opinion is money. An optimistic fan base buys merchandise and tickets. If you tell them that perhaps 2 or 3 of your top players may be sidelined for some time. Fans moods change and aren't as willing to shell out their hard earned dollars for a perceived  inferior product. I'm still optimistic about this season with the new acquisitions and younger players that will see time. We know Polanco probably won't be ready. Buxton may or may not have a herniated disc. Kiriloff may or may not be getting an injection this week to deal with the pain. Time will tell

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

You're right in saying the Twins don't need to explain everything to its fans. But the reason in my opinion is money. An optimistic fan base buys merchandise and tickets. If you tell them that perhaps 2 or 3 of your top players may be sidelined for some time. Fans moods change and aren't as willing to shell out their hard earned dollars for a perceived  inferior product. I'm still optimistic about this season with the new acquisitions and younger players that will see time. We know Polanco probably won't be ready. Buxton may or may not have a herniated disc. Kiriloff may or may not be getting an injection this week to deal with the pain. Time will tell

Do we think casual fans have any idea what's going on right now?

[Schmoeman5]

10 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Do we think casual fans have any idea what's going on right now?

Define a casual fan. Is a casual fan a person who goes to opening day and then disappears until mid September if they're in a potential division title run and goes to playoff games.